Castel Monastero

"Nestled into the hills of Monastero d’Ombrone, 15 miles east of Siena, Castel Monastero is set in a storybook eleventh-century hamlet with a circular piazza and stone tower. The reconstructed outer ring of the village houses the resort’s 75 guest rooms, while a spectacularly vaulted thirteenth-century cellar serves as an enoteca and wine storage. Rooms are sizable, designed true to their Tuscan roots, with painted old-wood beams, comfortable leather sofas, terra-cotta floors, and views into the valley (the little living room as you enter, however, seems a bit of a wasted space). The resort’s interlocking pools, on the other hand, fit ingeniously into the landscape, looking out onto the area’s postcard-perfect views. But although the resort makes a good base for sightseeing in Siena and the towns of southern Tuscany and Chianti, and the helpful staff are well versed on the culinary attractions of the region, it is a shame that thus far the on-site Gordon Ramsay restaurant is such an overpriced disappointment. Instead of being the hotel’s centerpiece, the restaurant feels like a vanity project without the chef’s attention (Ramsay is there only twice a year), with dishes like risotto with green apple and dishes with imported lobster that are anything but local."